Kim Jong-hyun of K-Pop Group SHINee Dead at 27

SHINee member and K-pop standout Kim Jong-hyun — better known to fans as Jonghyun — died after being taken to the hospital early Monday (December 18), according to NME. He was 27.

According to the BBC, early reports indicate that Kim's sister, believing the singer to be suicidal, made an emergency call after receiving a number of distressing texts from her brother. Two hours later, emergency responders found him unconscious and in a state of cardiac arrest in his rental apartment in the Cheongdam-dong area of Gangnam, Seoul.

He was rushed to Konkuk University Hospital where, after a failed attempt at CPR, he was pronounced dead.

In addition to being a member of five-piece ground SHINee, one of South Korea's leading acts, since their debut in 2008, Kim was also an accomplished songwriter, producer and solo artist.